hardangervidda

Ski across Hardangervidda

What about crossing the highest and largest mountain plateau of Northern Europe? Hardangervidda reach out for the stars between Oslo and Bergen, and springtime in Norway is such a great time of the year to enjoy outdoors on skiing. March/April means more sun and bright nights, with reasonable temperature and perfect conditions with lots of snow.

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meet in oslo 8TH mARCH 2025, travel and sleep at finse on 9th, out in the field for 5 nights, arrive haukeli 15th, back to oslo 16th MARCH.

why cross hardangervidda?

Apart from the scenery, the challenge and the once in a lifetime experiences, this trip will teach you the basic routines of sled pulling and camping in the snow. This weeklong trip with sleds and skis across the Hardangervidda Plateau you can join if you don’t feel like being away for too long but still want to get a feel for how it’s done on bigger trips. It’s long enough for a good re-set and rewind of your mind and body that will boost your energy level.

see photos at the bottom of the page!

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NB NB NB NB NB

DUE TO THE ONGOING DEBATE IN NORWAY ON HOW TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE THE REINDEER AT HARDANGERVIDDA, OUR ROUTE MAY WELL HAVE TO BE ALTERED TO COMPLY WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE AUTHORITIES :-)

Expedition details

Located in the Southern Norway, Hardangervidda stretches out more than 100 km in all directions. The whole trip is above the treeline, with rocky terrain on the west side, as it drops down thousand of metres to the fjords, and flatter areas to the east. It is a good combination with up and down hills, crossing numerous of frozen lakes, rivers and streams.

Distance to be covered is about 120 km and should take us about 6 full skiing days. Nights are spent in tents, and we will be pulling sleds. This trip could be used as training trip if you have bigger targets in mind, or just for the personal experience. We will focus on teaching navigation, camp routines, equipment and all the small little details that is needed for safe and comfortable travel on snow. Due to an average elevation of 1100 meters on this wide-open plateau, the alpine climate can at times be challenging. Even in springtime, the wind can play us some tricks and we need to be prepared for all eventualities.

This trip will be as a mini Greenland crossing. It is a fairly strenuous trip and we will be skiing 8-9-10 hours a day including breaks, pulling an approx. 30 kilo heavy sled, and you should be well prepared and in reasonable good shape before showing up. Please read our training chapter for advice and also the equipment list carefully. If in doubt contact us. It is better that you contact us two times too much than not. We are here to help if you have any questions or concerns.

Day by day

We recommend that you arrive in Oslo on meeting day, so you have enough time to prepare and sort out the equipment with your guide or someone else on our team (because guide might have gone up to the mountain with all equipment the day before). If you decide to arrive next day in the morning, you must be ready packed. Everything you bring with you on the train must go in the sled, since the arrival point is different from the start point.

Day 0 - Possible meeting day in Oslo

Day 1 – From Oslo to Finse by train

We take the morning/noon train from Oslo and spent the whole afternoon traveling (a bit over 4 hours) and enjoying the beautiful countryside of Norway. We will rent an apartment from another company to stay the night so we have more place to prepare. Breakfast and dinner will be served at Hotel Finse 1222, almost next door. The train stops right in front, so we don’t need to travel far with our gear… Here we finalize our equipment and get ready for the next day. Then it’s time to enjoy a warm dinner!

Day 2 – Start of the trip, from Finse towards Kjeldebu

We leave civilization behind and head South while admiring Hardangerjøkulen glacier and majestic mountains

Day 3 – Kjeldebu towards Sandhaug

First part of the day is up and over a pass before it becomes slightly flatter and we have the chance to make a longer distance if everything feels right and the weather is with us…

Day 4 – Sandhaug towards Litlos, or maybe stay in the plateau…

What about making a record day and setting the counter above 30 kilometers? Slowly we will be leaving the flatter plateau and into more mountainous area. Nansen and Amundsen used to train around here before they set out towards much higher goals… we are in good company!

Day 5 - From Litlos, and on…

Depending on itinerary taken the day before we will leave the plateau behind, or we might have already done so and set camp by Litlosvanet (Litlos lake) From Litlos there is a long lake to cross before the steepest uphill of the trip. But once on top the views are superb!

Day 5 – 7 Towards Hellevasbu, and Haukeli

The itinerary may vary day to day depending on the strength of our team and of the will of Mother Nature… but we will finish by descending towards civilization at Haukeli Ffjellstue.

Once arrived at Haukeli we will enjoy a warm shower and dinner before spending the night in a real bed at Haukelifjelsstue!

Day 8 – Haukeli to Oslo

After the breakfast, we pack our gear and get ready to catch the bus which will bring us back to Oslo, arrival early evening, hopefully enough time to catch a flight connection unless you prefer to see more of Oslo.

PS: your return plane/travel back home from Oslo should be at the earliest on late day 8 in the evening (the bus from Haukeli arrives In Oslo around 06.30pm…).

Note: either we ski from Haukeli to Finse or the other way. In which case: Read from the bottom :-)

Equipment and training

This trip can be seen as a mini-Greenland crossing. Though not that strenuous, but we will be skiing 8-9-10 hours a day (including breaks), pulling an approximately 30-35 kilo sled. So you need to be well prepared and in good shape before showing up. Please search our training chapter for advice!
Please also do study the equipment list we will provide, carefully. If in doubt, do not hesitate to contact us. It’s better that you contact us too often than not at all. At Finse, where we disembark the train, there are no shops – just great wilderness that starts on the other side of the platform!

Many wonder how to prepare physically for a polar expedition. This will vary both from trip to trip and for each individual. We will therefore provide individual training programs and advice for each participant if needed.

In general, we expect people to be able to carry a 20 kg backpack for 8 hours for several days on end. Most trips involve pulling sleds, so carry a backpack, is just an example as it is easier to relate to. Your training can, and probably will, consist of various methods. This is good as it builds a broad spectre of muscles. But everything depends what trip you have signed up for.

A combination of cycling, jogging, workout in the gym, walking with backpack or pulling rubber tyres is what we recommend. It’s not where you do it that matters, but that you do it. But do remember that if the trip is with a sledge, pulling tires is a must. The more hours the better!

What is included:

We will provide an experienced guide, breakfast and dinner from the moment we leave civilization behind and until we are back, and first night accommodation at Finse. As well as all general equipment such as tents, stoves, pots and fuel, navigation, sleds, pulling harness (if needed), and security, communication and safety essentials. And all possible advice in the buildup. Just call :-)

What is not included:

Return travel to Oslo (if needed), the bus / train to / from Oslo Haukeli / Finse. Any food before and after we go out into the field. We normally stay in Haukeli Fjellstue at the end of the trip, this accommodation is not included (But you are free to stay in the tent if you want, just let us know). Personal equipment like underwear, jacket, pants, hoods and mittens, sleeping bag and mattress, personal bags and skis & boots. Travel- and cancellation insurance.
Lunch and snacks while we are out on the plateau, make sure you have enough!

You may also be asked to contribute if you have food allergies, intolerance, etc, so that we can be sure you have enough and safe food.
Any unforeseen delays / weather / change of plan may also result in extra cost.

meals:

We include breakfast and dinner once we leave "civilization" behind and until we are back in town.
Breakfast is Borge's special enriched porridge recipe, coffee/tea.
Be aware, we do many shortstops to eat and drink, and you will need enough snacks for this many small intake of meal.
Dinner is composed of Real Turmat / DryTech expedition food

signing up / Deposit / invoice:

The system works as follows: Your Booking Form will give you a place in the queue. We willt hen send you a Deposit Invoice. This is non refundable according to our Travel Conditions. Once paid, your place on the trip is guaranteed and you are on your way.
3 months before the start of the trip we'll send final invoice with remaining balance

Look through these images - they are taken by vince colliard